Graduation Day. The day that is meant to symbolize the beginning of the rest of our lives. Some of you will spend the summer that follows preparing for graduate programs in the fall, some of you will begin your life in the full-time working world, and some of you will not have a clue as to what comes next, and that's okay. Because right now, it is of the utmost importance to focus on the present, which is ironic, because you spent the past four years planning and preparing for the future and what comes after this chapter.
You're probably counting down the days of classes you have left, crossing assignments off of your final to-do list and making plans regarding jobs, living situations, celebrations and everything in between.
Most of you are are anticipating Graduation Day like Christmas, and you have every right to- no more long nights of studying, cramming for finals or writing endless papers that hold no interest to you. Everything you've worked so hard for the past four years is finally coming to an end, the light at the end of the tunnel is finally clear and you're ready to celebrate your accomplishments. But are you really ready for it to be over?
All through college we make the statement of "I can't wait to graduate" time and time again, but I can say from experience, be careful what you wish for. Right now, you may think you're over college and are ready to tackle the real world, and although this may be true for some people, it's not as glamorous as it seems.
In a few short weeks, you will be crossing the stage, accepting your diploma and turning your tassel, but there is a lot more on the other side of the stage than you may think. But have you really stopped to think about what you're leaving behind? Here are a few recommendations on how to savor the last moments as an undergrad; a title you'll more than definitely be wishing to posses again later down the road.
If you're moving home to your parents, savor the last few nights you might have in your own house with your friends. Go out on a random Monday or Tuesday night, stay up late talking about the people you've met, reminisce on the last four years and order food from your regular joint for old times sake. Make every minute count.
If you have no definite plan after Graduation, that's okay! Maybe you have regrets about not traveling abroad, or wish you would have done more; take this time and plan a trip with your friends to a place you've never been because the time is now. Once you enter the working world, it only gets harder to plan vacations around different schedules.
Maybe you're going to grad school in the fall, which is great, but your brain can probably use a break. Enjoy the summer and find a fun, mindless job with friends to get you through the summer, because once you start that train ride, you'll definitely be asking for it to make a stop.
Is there someone you've been crushing on since Freshmen year? If they're not in your friend group, chances are you'll never see them again, at least not for a while, so tell them! Seriously, what do you have to lose?
Bad blood between an old roommate or friend you sometimes feel guilty about? Make amends before you leave so when you reflect on these four years, you'll think about this person in a good light.
Jumping right into Corporate America? Seriously take this time to have fun and be as young as you can, because the 9-5 sentence is a rough and bumpy transition, and you more than anyone will be wishing their only obligations were having to sit through an eighty minute class twice a week.
Of course there will be other roads to be traveled, everyone's plan is different. But when I was where you were, I was so focused on getting across the stage, that I forgot to remember everything I was leaving behind. I was unaware that I was going to miss couch time with my roommates, being able to walk to a friends house just to hang or drink wine on a random week night, spontaneously go to the bars with everyone, swipe into the dining hall, walk around campus just because, seeing professors that inspired your goals everyday, and everything in between.
They say college is the fastest four years of our lives, which through the duration they may have seemed to drag, they really went by in the blink of an eye. One minute you're a nervous Freshman actually looking presentable for class, the next you're a Senior probably skipping class from being too hungover from the night before.
Now it's time to enter the real world, the world that these last four years have groomed you for and you can't wait. We're excited for you to join us in this mess called life, but embrace the undergrad lifestyle for just a few more weeks, the real world will always be here, I promise.
Congratulations & good luck, Class of 2017. You did it.
